Ethel Tyrrell 1926

Alfred Stieglitz made this black and white photograph, Ethel Tyrrell, at an undetermined date using gelatin silver. It captures Tyrrell's face and torso against a blurry background of leaves. I wonder what Stieglitz was thinking when he chose to compose the shot this way. It's like he was trying to capture something beyond just her physical appearance. Maybe he was trying to get at her essence, her inner self. The soft focus adds to this feeling, as if we're seeing her through a veil of time and memory. There’s a tenderness to how Stieglitz captured her. I love how the light falls on her face, highlighting her features and creating a sense of depth. The way he framed the shot makes me feel like I'm right there with them. It's as if he's inviting us to contemplate the beauty and complexity of another human being. Photographs like this remind us that art is about connection, about seeing the world in new ways, and about sharing those insights with others.